No Such Thing As A Christmas Miracle
by HawkheartedLion
Summary: It was the night before Christmas and all of the spirits were gathering at the Pole. No one could have known what damage the visit has caused. By the time the Guardians manage to fix the problem it is already to late.
1. Chapter 1

**Have a crappy oneshot written after a visit to the doctor and the drugs they put me on. ****Preemptive apology because I'm sure this sucks.**

The day before Christmas found the Guardians all gathered at the Pole helping out with last minute preparations. The last few toys were being pushed out under Bunny's guidance while the yeti complained at the rabbit's constant nagging. Tooth was directing the loading process and Sandman conjured amazing images out of his dream sand to keep the rambunctious elves occupied and out of the way. North was in his office checking his list one last time to be sure there were no changes. There was rarly a tiem whn something changed so drasticly but he was never one for slacking off.

Jack sat up in the high rafters of the toyshop and watched the chaos. He didn't really feel like celeabrating but to be fair he has not had a Christmas of any kind since his death. After that it seemed as if he had been immediately placed on the naughty list and that was the end of it. He couldn't even remember what he had done to earn such a status. Okay, so maybe the blizzard on Easter Sunday was not his best idea, and the one time he tried to freeze every one of North's elves simultaneously had not been all that bright either but it's not as if he did it intentionally. He doesn't mean for it to come off as naughty or bad. For him it' fun and if the others actually got out and saw the world now they would see that it was just fun. Right?

Jack sighed before standing up and throwing his staff behind his shoulders and walking cross the rafter he was on. He had to duck when some of Tooth's fairies flew by. Baby Tooth was with them and after a short chirped message to explain what she was doing; she flew off to hover ahead of Jack. She chirped a fluttered around him and he could take a guess as to what she was trying to say.

"I'm fine Baby Tooth." She hardly looked convinced. "Really I am, now don't you have work to get to? Won't Tooth miss you?" She now flew around him in an almost irritated way. "Look it's nothing okay?" He continued walking, "I guess I just thought that this year might be different." The last part was mumbled but Baby Tooth still caught it. She flew over and landed on Jack's shoulder. She huddled in close as her own special way of giving comfort. "Like I said Baby, it's nothing to worry about. I was stupid for thinking things would change. I've been able to get through three hundred and some years like this so what's one more right? I just hoped that maybe it would change."

With his monologue on a roll Jack had lost track of where he was walking. The toyshop was supported by a maze of beams and columns so it was easy for Jack to get turned around. He ended up in the den area of the house. Tooth, Bunnymund, and Sandy were gathered there talking. Jack knelt down and started to listen in.

"The others are all coming up so soon? They usually wait until North is ready to leave; they know the trouble this could cause. They said they would be up today, Bunny. There is no way we can get everything done with them running around." Sandy nodded his head in agreement with Tooth's words. Multiple images flashed above his head but Bunny was too busy pacing around to notice and Tooth was above eye level.

"I don't know but we'd better just prepare for the worst. Do we know who's all coming?"

"Cupid, Leprechaun, Summer Solstice, Halloween, and the Groundhog."

"Oh God, the Groundhog? Why does he always have to show up when I want him to least? And is it even a good idea to have Solstice and Jack in the same room?" Again Sandy tried to get everyone's attention but his sand pictures were ignored.

Jack was still up in the rafters listening intently. Who were these other people? He had heard of them but had never met them or even went out of his way to try to. Cupid's domain was too far south; He had ruined one to many Halloween celebrations to actively seek out the embodiment. He may not have the best ideas all the time but he knew about the idea of self-preservation.

"We can't really help it Bunny. Solstice will get mad if he isn't invited and we can't ask Jack to leave. I doubt they have even met before though, what could be so bad?"

Bunny stopped pacing now and his ears shifted to attention. "I think we are about to find out." After that statement a yeti pushed open the door to the den and admitted the new arrivals. Baby Tooth could feel the darkening in Jack's mood but wasn't really sure how to address it. Jack took a moment to observe these newcomers who had the pleasure of coming to the Pole every year.

First looks were fairly unassuming. One was a teenage girl who was constantly on her phone and was dressed up in all pink. Her hair fell in golden ringlets framing her face and cascading down her back. It wasn't until she turned around that Jack could see the feathery white wings on her back. They were different from Tooth's though. While Tooth's wings worked like a hummingbird these looked like they would be used in manner similar to an eagle or hawk. She pranced into the room and promptly sat down on the couch pulled out a piece of new gum and popped it into her mouth before going back to her phone. Now Jack was confused. He would never claim to be an expert on other spirits, but wasn't Cupid supposed to be a guy?

His attention was diverted when the next guest walked in however. Now Jack knew how Bunny had known they were coming. Before the man had even made it to the door, Jack could hear him raving about something. He was loud but even at such a volume it was hard to make out what he was saying. When he finally got to the door himself, he staggered through and jack could now see that he looked to be about his thirties and had red hair. Jack had to stifle a laugh. The leprechaun was a ginger to the extreme meaning of the word. His hair was fire red and dark freckles littered almost all exposed skin. He stumbled over his feet as he walked in and would have fallen if the next guest hadn't walk over to help him.

This must be the spirit of Halloween, thought Jack. There was no other explanation for the giant, standing-on-two-legs, laughing, wolf that walked through the door. He looked like a wolf but he walked like a human. Like the way Bunny does, was hoe Jack rationalized it. He was covered in brown fur and spoke with a slight drawl.

Summer Solstice came in next, Jack figured. He wasn't a fuzzy little rodent so it couldn't be the groundhog. He had chin length curly blonde hair and a dark tan. Even in the Pole weather he only wore a light shirt and faded jeans. Unlike the others he didn't even seem to smile and after scanning the room he seemed to relax. A fuzzy little animal on his shoulder must have been the Groundhog then. As they got situated in the room Jack decided it was time to show himself. He didn't want to give away his hiding spot so he walked over to the next room and once hidden behind a wall he lowered himself to the ground and walked over to the door. He pushed it open as if he didn't have a care in the world. He put on a shocked face and pretended he had no idea that these other spirits were here.

"Oh sorry," he said not sounding very sorry at all. "Um, who are they?" He pointed to the new spirits.

"Jack! Don't be so rude. Come in and say hello properly."

He hid a smile and stepped into the room. "Hey, I'm Jack, Jack Frost."

The wolf seemed to be the only one who was paying attention. He stood up and walked over to Jack. "Hello there, my name's Len. Spirit of Halloween, extraordinaire."

"Spirit of Halloween? What do you do?" Jack was genuinely curious about it.

"Tell me- what monster do you fear the most?" He circled around Jack menacingly. "Obviously not my Wolf, so what is it?" In a blur the fur disappeared and sheets and the smell of rot was left in its place. "A mummy maybe? A zombie? Children are afraid of those now days." The sheets had fallen away.

Jack looked on in amazement. "Dude that's so cool!"

The zombie sprouted fur as his joints popped and reversed. A muzzle formed from his face and his teeth grew out. Soon Len's apparently normal Wolf stood where the Zombie once was. "I at least usually get a flinch."

Bunny laughed, "You're gonna have to try harder than that mate. This blighter took on Pitch with us a few months ago, gonna take more than a Zombie or a Wolf to spook him."

Jack was still staring at Len in fascination. He had never known any of the spirit could change their shape. That was so awesome! What other shapes could Len do? Did they have to be Halloween related? "Can you do other forms? Like a giant spider? Oh- or like a huge nasty bat?" Jack gasped, "Can you do a Vampire?"

Len flinched and balked, "No. Definitely not. Ever since those Twilight, Mid-afternoon, whatever time of day, books came out people either laugh or try to tackle me when I do my Vampire."

Jack had to laugh at that but the other Guardians in the room looked completely lost.

"But I thought Halloween was a holiday for fear. Wouldn't Pitch be in charge of that?"

"Nah, see Halloween may have fear, but it's a good fear. It's fun fear. People like to be scared now days they just don't like to be terrified. If that makes any sense. "

"Fido 'ere is losin' his ed. Uh, wait- 'is egg. No that's not right, he's losing his touch." Leprechaun had flung himself up from the couch he had been occupying where he was watching Sandy's pictures with rapt attention. Jack could smell the alcohol on the man and yet he had what seemed to be spiked eggnog in a mug already. Where and when had he gotten that so quickly? He hardly had time to think before he was pulled into a one-armed hug with the man. The Leprechaun was still taller than he was, Jack noted with disdain. "My name's Connor. An' I'm the lepercan. No, kahn. Uhh-"

"Sit down before you hurt yourself, Connor." The Groundhog hopped off Summer's shoulders and onto the ground. He barely came up to Jack's knees even when the groundhog stood straight up. "Name's Punxsutawney 'Phil' Sowerby, but please just call me Phil. So you're the little sprite that's been screwing up my predictions?" He suddenly dropped down to all fours and crawled up Jack's leg to rest over his shoulders. He took Jack's head in his paws and turned it every which way. Phil sniffed Jack's hair and grabbed the staff and weighed it in his paws. "Not bad but I've seen better." With that he jumped down from Jack's shoulders and walked away after handing back the staff.

Jack just looked on in shock. Tooth seemed speechless but Bunny wasn't even phased. He clapped a comforting paw down on Jack's shoulder and gave him a sympathetic nod. Bunny had told him about Phil a while ago and why the Groundhog disliked them so much. He said that it had something to do with how he prophesized the divide between winter and spring, but as the actual guardians for those seasons, Jack and Bunnymund were constantly throwing those predictions back in his face.

As he was walking away from the Guardians Phil stopped by the couch and leapt up into the cupids lap. He snatched her phone away and scampered off before she could realize what had happened. "Hey, Phil! No, like I really need that. You totally don't understand I was in the middle of something important." She reached out for the phone completely unaware of what had been going on around her.

"Look Val, as much as I dislike Snowflake and his big-eared hen over there, you should at least introduce yourself. It's only polite." He held the phone out of reach and gestured over to Jack. Val looked over and seemed to realize that there was another spirit in the room. Her whole demeanor changed upon seeing Jack though.

"Hey, sweetheart." She flew up from the couch and had her arm entwined with Jack's quicker than he could realize. "I haven't seen you around before. You wouldn't happen to have a girl would you?" Bunny was hanging off Len as both of them tried to contain fits of laughter. Connor had failed completely and was instead guffawing loudly from his place on the couch in between drinks. Tooth and her fairies feathers were ruffled up and flittering about in anger while Groundhog just looked on unimpressed.

"Um, I- uhhh. No." Jack tried to pry his arm away from the leech like girl that gripped him tight. "I'm sorry but I didn't get your name?"

The blonde pouted and chastised Jack lightly, "I'm Val, silly. I'm Cupid. I'm sure you know that that means, right?" She fluttered her eyelashes at him and moved her body closer if possible. Jack was still trying to free his arm with no help from any of the others.

"I thought Cupid was a guy? Like a baby with the arrows?" His struggling increased as the grip on his arm tightened. Around the room everyone seemed to choke on air. Val's wings fluffed up in annoyance and she rolled her eyes.

"So my baby bro gets seen one time, and all the sudden, he's the spirit of Valentines. No, he's just one of my cherubs. I'm Cupid. Me. And arrows? Come on, that's so last century." She shot a dark glare at Phil. "I have to adapt with the times. Unlike the rest of you, love is ever changing. These days it's as simple as a text between two people. Technology is working wonders for me!"

Jack just nodded awkwardly and finally succeeded in getting her to release him. "That's really nice."

She turned her glare back to Jack before smiling sweetly. "So would you like to hang out some time, cutie?"

Jack stayed silent with a deep blush on his face and Len and Bunny finally joined Connor in his rambunctious laughter.

She sighed, "That's just as well, I can't make relationships between spirits. We have to build those on our own." She left Jack as quickly as she came and plucked her phone from Phil. She settled back into the couch and took up her texting again.

Now he was completely lost. Jack was not looking forward to the last meeting. They seemed to be steadily getting worse. He turned to the blond boy expecting something awful and was mildly surprised when all that happened was a friendly nod and a quick introduction.

"Summer Solstice. I keep the summer weather in check and watch over the fauna of summer."

"So you help the plants grown and the animals?" Jack only ever got to see plant life when he traveled around in autumn when it was dying and most animal life fled from his snow.

Solstice smiled lightly. "I watch over the new plants Bunnymund brings and I keep an eye on the newborn animals, yes."

"That's amazing. I wish I could see it."

"I wish to one day see your winter as well, Jack."

Introductions aside they all sat back and exchanged small talk and tall tales until the late hours of the night. North came into the room and asked if Jack would join him in the sleigh trail and reindeer stockades. He agreed and they headed off to go prep the tunnel and ensure the reindeer were going to be okay in the snow Jack had planned for tomorrow. The Groundhog called out to North at the last second so he turned around and told Jack to go on ahead.

He nodded and started to walk away before realizing that he had no idea how to get to the track. The last time he had been was when they were going to face Pitch. The toyshop was huge and he knew he would just get lost. Jack wanted to spend more time with the new sprites he had just met so he hoped he could get the work done quickly. He was sure North wouldn't mind if he interrupted for directions. He turned back and walked the few steps towards the door before he heard it.

"He's a child North. You can't count on him to take on all this responsibility." He paused. The sounded like the Groundhog. He knew the rodent didn't like him but that seemed a bit far.

"I understand that 'e 'elped ya defeat Pitch, but like Phil said- uh, he's, he is just a kid." Now Jack was curious and a little hurt. He spied the rafters above him again. It would be easier to listening that way, wouldn't it? And if the conversation was about him then he had all rights to listen in as far as he was concerned. He quietly lifted himself into the air and walked across the maze to the right beam and crouched down to listen further.

"Yeah, I'm sorry but he is nothing more than a little brat. You've seen the messes he makes. Bunny, darling, you were victim to one of them. Yet you still want him to be a Guardian?" Val interjected from behind her phone. She still hadn't moved that Jack knew of.

"Whoa, now see here, mate. Jack can be trouble yes. He can irritate the hell out of me sometimes. I won't deny that I disliked him for a long time after that Easter, but that doesn't' mean that people can't change!"

Jack flinched back. Bunny hated him for the blizzard? He knew it was a sore spot but he really thought that they had moved past it. Who were these other spirits to come here and say he couldn't handle being a Guardian? He had proved himself. They swore him in. Was it all for nothing, just an elaborate prank?

North interceded between the two, "Jack was reason we were able to beat Pitch. He is good kid just a little rough around edges. We are helping."

"Not, not for nothin' but some things are jus' to broke to fix, North." Connor still looked like he wasn't quite coherent so Jack tried not to take that personally but it was hard to hear this and to hear almost no defense from the Guardians. Did they feel the same and were just to kind to say it to his face? Was he really annoying them all this time and they only wanted him so they could use him to defeat Pitch?

"He's dangerous. We don't have to tell you what he can do. You've seen it. Can you really trust him though? He's been on his own for years." This time it was Len who spoke up. Jack could feel his eyes starting to water. But then what did he expect. He just met them today, maybe he could change their minds. "It's not just Easter he ruined either. He almost ruined Christmas- if you didn't have that reindeer of yours you never would have gotten through. Then there was the Children's Blizzard in 1888 and that same year he dropped 50 inches of snow on the eastern seaboard of the United States! He sunk the Titanic, North. He's just not safe."

"He misused his gifts because we never bothered to show him how-"

"It shouldn't matter." Summer stepped in, "he should know what is right and what's wrong. He is unstable and it is because of his 'gifts' as you say. He only has the power to destroy. We all create; we bring things into the world and create joy for children. He brings death."

Bunny was getting angry now. It seemed as if they wouldn't be able to talk about this civilly. "Now hold on a second, you say you're better cause you all bring things into the world. Len, sorry mate, but what good do you bring into the world?"

"Like I told Frost, I bring a healthy fear into their lives."

"That's not nearly enough-"

Tooth's argument was cut off by a choked sob. They all looked around only to see Jack up in the rafters, having heard everything. Not only was this another Christmas on the naughty list, but now he finds out that everyone that he cared about seemed to not care about him. After three hundred years he thought he might finally have a family. He hurriedly grabbed his staff and flew from the toyshop. He didn't hear or didn't care about the calls asking him to wait and come back.

He should have known it was all just a lie disguised in a pretty package.

The Guardians watched Jack leave with pain and anger on their faces. They turned collectively to the visiting spirits and North stepped forward and told them to get out.

"Look, we never wanted him to hear. We just wanted to let you know about-"

North stepped up face to face with Solstice while the other Guardians squared off to the others. Bunny growled at the Groundhog. Tooth and her fairies buzzed angrily around Val, and Sandy had his whips out and ready to use them on a surrendering Len. Connor had passed out after his little contribution to the conversation earlier.

Len backed down first. If he was perfectly honest he had no real problem with Jack. His Halloween night could get a little cold, but kids were resilient and they would simply bundle up or make their costumes work with the weather. He lowered his ears and eyes in submission and walked over to pick up Connor. Connor usually had at least some idea of what was going on but they had gotten him drinking long before he had shown up at the Pole. It was likely he wouldn't even remember this night. "I really am sorry. Just doing what we thought was right. If you think you can handle him than more power to you."

Val and Phil gave up next. They left without an apology or any sings of remorse. Solstice followed them with the parting words, "He is dangerous. You'll see in time. Joy can't thrive locked inside of ice." He backed out of the room and joined his comrades. They left the Pole as the Guardians started a mad scramble to find Jack.

It was discovered that he too had left the Pole. The Guardians had an emotionally unstable immortal teenager who had the powers of winter at his command lost out in the cold, alone, on what was now Christmas Eve. North would have to take the sleigh to deliver presents. They would have to put off looking for Jack until after Christmas. If they could even find him again. They had worked so hard to chip away at the shell three hundred years of isolation can cause and in one night, it was up and tenfold strong.

Now it was just a matter of finding the boy.

Jack meanwhile, huddled under a rocky overhang overlooking the lake in Burgess. The Guardians never learned of his drowning and though it was obvious he would come to the town, they wouldn't come to the lake.

Why was it so easy for the Guardians to listen to them? They knew of all his mistakes and they didn't blame him. He had woken up, immortal, unseen, and with the power to bring winter to the world. Naturally he was a little overwhelmed. But to go so far as to say he was dangerous? To go so far as to bring up the children he had killed? Fine if they wanted dangerous, they would see dangerous. The Guardians gave him a weak defense, most likely out of nesecity. But now they would have no need to. He would become what they saw him as. They were so worried about him when they should worry about themselves. Pitch had once said nothing goes together better then cold and fear, Jack now could see why. Now he just had to see if the offer still stands.


	2. Chapter 2

**So because you all left such wonderful reviews, and I am currently drugged out of my mind, I decided to give this another chapter. Enjoy.**

The other spirits were gathered in Solstice's palace, Phil's burrow not big enough for the meeting, Len not having a permanent home, Val hadn't wanted anyone to mess up her operation, and Connor still passed out cold. His home was large and spacious but was built into a cliff. He had large windows that overlooked out to the sea and low ceilings. Everything was painted white and the floors were a dark colored wood. The center of the house was cut out from the basement to the 3rd floor ceiling so Solstice could grow his favorite tree, the ash. They were in the living room with a view that looked out over the ocean as the waves crashed up on the rock. Behind them was a glass structure with cascading water down it for ambiance. Solstice was facing out staring at the water.

"Look, maybe we just messed this one up. It's possible for us to make mistakes as well you know." Len was shamelessly poking around Summer's kitchen. He was opening cabinets and pulling out food only to put it back after a curious sniff. He opened the fridge and riffled around inside for a bit before coming back into the living room with a bag of carrots.

"What the hell are you eating?" Phil was sitting on a self in the bookcase so he could be at eye level. He was about to comment on the current argument they were having when he saw the Wolf show up with food.

"Shut up, you don't hang out with Chupacabra like I do. I watched him eat once and I swear I'm never eating meat again." Len shivered as he stuffed more carrots into his mouth. "Besides Nessie said it would help my figure if I went vegetarian."

"Why do you need to watch your figure? You can shape shift! You're almost skin and bones already."

"Can't I just do something for me, Phil?" He walked past the Groundhog a waved a carrot at the rodent. "When was the last time you bothered to take care of yourself, ya?"

"I thought we were going to talk about this. If we aren't then I need to leave, because I actually have to work all year."

"No one asked for your opinion, sparrow!"

"Oh no you didn't, Phil. Come over here and I'll beat your buck teeth in."

Val reached over to grab Phil but he dodged to the side. He kept evading her grasp as she leaned further and further over the passed out Connor. "Can't even play a little 'Pop Goes The Weasel?' Come on, I'll stuff a pillow with you!" Val finally over reached and fell on top of Connor who woke up with a start and flung Val off. In unbalancing herself she was able to catch Phil but when she was pushed off Connor she lost her grip and he went flying. Len dropped his carrots and jumped in the air to catch him like a football. He fell back and knocked into Val who had managed to right herself with her wings and was now flying a couple feet off the ground. They fell into a large pile in the ground while Connor sat up on the couch rubbing his stomach where Val had fallen on him.

Solstice turned from the windows and walked past the pile of spirits on the floor as he headed into his den. The spirits on the floor shared a look before getting up and following him. Connor just groaned when he saw who he was with and where he was. "What the 'ell did ya get me into this time, ya bleeders?" His question went unanswered so he pulled himself off the couch and into Summer's den. He had a killer headache but what kind of Leprechaun would he be if he couldn't power through a little hangover.

"Okay Solstice, I get that you don't like Jack and I know I agreed to go help you, but that just got too far out of hand." Len had picked up the bag of carrots and was munching on them dutifully.

"I disagree completely. We should have been harder on the brat. He's nothing more than mischief."

"That's not fair Phil. Jack seemed like a pretty nice kid. He was a little rude but, I mean, how old is he right? He cannot be more than a hundred."

"Val, he is over three hundred years old. He' not as young as you think he is. Jack should be held accountable for his actions. He has had more than enough time to come to terms with his powers." Solstice placed his hand over one of the many pots that littered the house. A large plant grew out of the dirt and twirled up towards his hand. Huge light blue flowers bloomed and Solstice had a fleeting thought that they looked like Jack's eyes before he closed his fist in anger and the plant shriveled up before disintegrating.

The wolf was still crunching away through his carrots as Val went back to texting after shrugging at Jack's age. "Look, he is still the youngest out of all of us right? He's practically a child still and we-" He scowled and threw his carrots away with a growl. "It was wrong what we did."

"I repeat what the 'ell did ya get me into?" Connor yelled it this time but after listening on this half of the conversation he could guess it was nothing good.

"It's nothing Connor; go back to sleeping off the booze."

"Now see 'ere, Solstice, last thing I remember I was at my home 'aving a good time. Then I woke up 'ere. What did you do," it wasn't even a question anymore but rather a demand.

Solstice looked over without a care. He didn't mind what he had done. "We went and had a little talk with the Guardians about their newest member."

Len stepped in, "we went too far and the kid ran off. I think we need to apologize."

"Damn right you do!" Connor yelled ignoring Phil cursing in the background and Val rolling her eyes. "We are going back and you and you had better hope they forgive us or so help me-"

"It's going to take a lot more than a few apologies."

The other spirits startled at the sound of an Australian accent ringing through the room. They turned but were not quick enough. Bunny leapt over to Summer and grabbed the teen by the scruff of his shirt, lifting him into the air. North managed to grab Phil before he could scamper off and Tooth flew over to Val and took her phone before staring her down. Sandy snapped his fingers and pointed down. Len sat obediently and looked up with wide eyes.

"Now, where's Frostbite," Bunny asked Solstice. He glared at the other teen as he waited for an answer.

"I don't know where he went after his tantrum."

"Wrong answer." Bunny shook the kid a little before walking to where Len was sitting and dropping him on the floor. Tooth motioned for Val to join them and North knelt down and let Phil walk over. Connor walked over to the circle as silently as possible and sat down with his other cohorts.

"Jack has not been back to the Pole or any of our homes since you insulted him and his work."

"Don't you think you're, like, over reacting? He could totally just be sulking somewhere in the snow."

"Do you know anything about Jack Frost?"

"No, we never bothered to ask and he never bothered to tell."

"Did you even try? He said he didn't even know any of you."

"Well, um-"

"Save it. Jack Frost was left on his own for three hundred years after dying to save his sister from falling into a frozen lake. The Man in the Moon reincarnated him and left him on his own only telling him his name. He does not take rejection well."

Phil scoffed and looked ready to object but Solstice beat him to it. "We all have our tragedies. He needs to stop dwelling in the past and move on."

"You're right. We all have had our problems. I watched my clan be slaughtered. North had to keep going when his wife and daughter died but you know what's different about our situations? We had friends and people who believed in us to help us get through it. Jack has had no one."

The other spirits had the decency to look shamed at least. All but Phil and Solstice, who remained still glaring at the far wall instead of making eye contact with the Guardians. Val and Len started to mummer apologies but they were cut off by North. Connor just felt guilt knowing in his stomach. He might not have known what was going on but he should have made more of an effort to find out the plan before he let them into his home.

"Bunny is right. Then Man in Moon tells him he has to be Guardian. He didn't want to at first, believed he would be no good. We were able to break down wall and see real the Jack. Then after only a few months you show up and ruin everything."

"Like I said before guys, I am sorry."

"Sorry's not good enough anymore, Wolf. And regardless of whether you all are sorry or not you're going to help us now. We are going to go look for him and we are not coming back until we find him got it?"

The other spirits shared a look before glancing up at the angry Guardians above them and nodded.

"Good. Bunny?"

Bunnymund nodded at North before tapping his foot twice on the floor of Solstice's house and opening a tunnel to the Warren. They bypass the rabbit's home and while Tooth, Sandy, and Bunny are able to keep ahead of the mess of flailing limbs that is the other spirits, North still isn't used to the tunnels and was caught up with them. Bunny opened a hole next to Jack's lake and jumped out while the others tumbled out behind him.

"Now we are going to split up and look for him around the lake, got it? He should be around here somewhere but you need to know that this is where he died. You do not mess with anything." North pulled his swords out and pointed them at the spirits gathered around the bank. They nodded and headed off into the woods surrounding the lake to search. If some of the spirits moved slower than others nothing was said.

Tooth, Sandy, and Val took to the skies in hopes of spotting him from above or maybe even running into him in the air. Connor took off south heading towards the thin trees overlooking the town while North escorted Solstice further west into the thicker part of the forest. Bunny, Len, and Phil all started off by sniffing at the air.

"Does this guy even have a scent?" Len asked confused when he couldn't pick anything up even with his wolf nose.

"Yeah, the kid smells like winter and fresh snow."

They looked around them and groaned. Phil growled, "how the hell can we track a brat that smells like winter through the snow?"

"We follow the smell of mischief."

"I'll skin you alive if you keep up that smart-ass talk."

"You don't even come up to my knees, pipsqueak. I'd like to see you try."

Len whistled lowly in appreciation. "Your kid's got more wrong with him than you know. I can smell the fear and self-loathing." He dropped down onto all fours and took off through the woods. Bunny and Phil broke apart their argument and quickly followed. Bunny managed a call to one of Tooth's fairies, who nodded before flying off to get the others.

"He wouldn't be self-loathing if you lot had stayed out of it."

"Let's not start this again, Bunny. I already said I was sorry." He quickly turned left and raced through the trees then jumped a large ditch. Bunny grabbed Phil before he jumped and as they landed the Wolf stood up and scented the air again. Len took off slipping in the slush to avoid a low-hanging tree branch. Then he darted right and loped down a small hill. They were getting further and further into the woods and it had already started to snow. The Wolf picked up the pace, not wanting the trail to be lost.

"How the hell can you even smell him, mate?"

"I'm the spirit of Halloween. I know how to find the right people to scare and the people that would take it the wrong way. Before Jack found it fun, now though, I can smell his fear and I can find him that way."

The spirits that could fly finally located them and followed Len as he tracked Jack. North and Solstice eventually joined them after Tooth sent her fairies to go get them. They were following the Wolf's keen nose when he suddenly stopped. "That's it. I lost the scent." The spirits looked around for Jack but couldn't see anything. The snow had picked up and was swirling around in a biting wind.

"He had to be close, I mean, look at this mess." Val was pushed to the ground and forced to walk in the high winds. Tooth's wings were better able to handle the speed so she stayed airborne while Sandy floated down to be close to the ground.

"So it's a mess now, is it?" Jack landed lightly in the snow a few feet away from the gathered spirits. He looked worse than when they had last seen him. His face was sullen and paler than usual and his hair had lost a healthy sheen. "Winter is my domain and I will do what I want with it!" He stabbed his staff at the ground and ice spikes erupted from the ground and headed for the spirits.

They scrambled out of the way and turned to look at the damage. "Mate, ya gotta calm down. They didn't mean anything by it. They know they made a mistak-" He wasn't allowed to finish before Jack pointed his staff and let a stream of frost fly at Bunny's head.

"I don't want to hear excuses. I should have known it was all a trick. You don't care about me, no one does. No one wants me. Even Pitch kicked me out."

"I told you he was dangerous, North. One little tantrum and he goes to the Boogeyman!"

"Shut up! You don't even know dangerous!" Jack rose into the air and lifted his hands. The snow on the ground swirled up towards him and with a wave of his staff he managed to form it to his will and condense it into a hard ice. A large bear made out of solid ice stood back on its hind legs and roared. The snowstorm around them intensified if possible. "Kids believe in me now. I'm more powerful than before."

"Jack we are not here to hurt you. We are trying to help. They want to apologize, they know what they did was wrong."

"Stop it! Just leave me alone!" He swung his staff and the frost formed into icicles before flying up at Tooth. "You don't know what it's like. To be hated, feared."

The bear took that as a sign to charge and he ran straight at the assembled spirits. Everyone was so caught up in the rampage that they all missed the black sheen that the bear had. Phil dug into the ground while Summer slammed his hands onto the dirt palms up. Thick roots shot out and entangled the bear, halting the assault. North ran forward with his swords to try and slash at the ice. Bunnymund threw his boomerangs with all his force and Len ran forward with foaming jaws. Val screamed and hid behind a tree. Connor rolled his eyes but joined her undercover. They weren't fighting spirits.

"No, you said I was death? That's all you're going to get," Jack yelled. The vines holding down his ice bear froze and shattered as the bear jerk away and started to lunge out at the closest spirit. Its claws ripped through the air and barely missed cutting threw Len. The Wolf jumped into the air and become a bat before dropping down on the bear's back as another bear. He was smaller but was able to punch a hole through the chest of the ice bear. It fell and everyone thought it was over until Jack giggled from his position a few feet off the ground. Here Sandy was able to catch a good look at the boy's eyes. The normal blue was rimmed with a swirling black.

Jack waved his staff and the bear mended itself and growled as it stood up. "Jack, mate you gotta calm down," Bunnymund pleaded as he leapt out of the way of a crushing paw. Phil popped out of the ground and bit into the ice. His teeth could cut through just about anything and the ice was no exception.

"Do you have any idea what it's like?"

"North we might not be able to beat him!"

"We are taking him home regardless of what you think, Solstice."

"That's it. I'm out. Nothing I can shift to can take that thing down."

"Being ignored? I tried so hard for so long to get your attention. Any attention, good or bad. It didn't matter to me as long as someone finally acknowledged I existed."

"Keep going Bunny. Make him tired. We need him to wear himself out." Bunny relayed the message to the other fighters who all agreed.

Jack kept up a constant stream of ice daggers flying towards Tooth and Sandy to keep them from the sky. The other spirits all now diverted attention from trying to attack the bear to trying to avoid the monstrosity and cause Jack to use more of his power.

Phil was the one who was directed to keep the bear occupied. It was easiest for him because he could tunnel quickly and attack suddenly. Jack on the other hand had to throw up ice shields and retaliate in kind to every attack. IT was slowly wearing him down and his attacks became weaker and weaker. Having to fight seven enemies at the same time was something Jack wasn't used to.

They finally wore him down to the point where he had to let the bear drop and focus on just defending himself. Sandy tried to hit him with his whips while North and Bunny used their weapons as clubs instead a means to really hurt. Phil dug tunnels and pitfalls to trip Jack up once he used up too much power to stay up in the air. Len slashed out with clawed paws causing Jack to have to erect an ice shield every time the Wolf got to close. Soon enough even that was a chore though and Sandy was able to get a shot in with a ball of dream sand. North walked over and picked up the unconscious boy. Bunny, Tooth, and Sandy gathered around to make sure he was okay and Val and Connor came out of hiding.

"There, you have your little terror back. Can we go now? I want to be long gone when he wakes back up." Phil was ignored however and the Guardians started to walk away.

"Look, this never would have happened if you hadn't shown up."

"We helped you find him. Can we all just go back to how it was before?"

The Guardians shared a look before hesitantly nodding. North bluntly said, "I don't want to see any of you near the Pole for a while. It will be up to Jack if he ever forgives you. We will not be helping." With that Bunnymund prepared to tap his paw for a tunnel.

Before the second tap though maniacal laughter rang out through the air. Darkness fell through the forest and Nightmare King formed form the shadows. "Taking back the little nuisance?"

The exhausted spirits got back into a fighting stance only to have Pitch raise his hands in submission. He tried to move closer only to find the way blocked when the Guardians moved in closer around North and Jack.

"Trust me when I say I don't want him. You should have seen the mess he left my lair in. It will take weeks to clean all that up. I'll just say what we are all thinking." Shadows shot out and tried to attack the Guardians in the shape of Nightmares. "Why don't you just put the brat down like the mongrel he is?"

Pitch continued to urge his Nightmares on in the fight and the Guardians were starting to become sluggish in their movements. The other spirits tried to contribute where they could but they were even weaker than the Guardians after the fight with Jack. The Nightmares were gaining ground and it wouldn't be long before they were overrun.

As it was the Guardians only had a split second to react when Connor yelled out, "now, go!" The Leprechaun threw a gold coin on the ground and a flash of blinding light engulfed the area. The Nightmares were blown away and Pitch was forced to take cover in the meager shadows cast by a cluster of trees. In the time it took for the flash to dissipate, Bunny had opened a tunnel. The Guardians slipped through the tunnels with the other spirits. They kept tumbling until they reached their destination, the Pole. The tunnel spit them out in the main room that overlooks the Globe.

"Thanks, Bunny. It was sure nice of you to bring us with you."

"Yeah. Thank you for helping us." Solstice's tone was a lot less grateful then Val's.

"Get out."

"What?"

"I said get out. I don't want you in the Pole." The others flinched but nodded and moved to leave. Len and Connor shot a sorrowful glance at Jack.

"I really am sorry for the trouble."

"Me to."

North just bowed his head and went to move Jack to his room. They left and the Guardians followed the Guardian of Wonder as he carried Jack through the halls and to his room. He laid the boy down on the bed and proceeded to check for wounds. Bunny, however, caught his hand.

"Let me, mate," North relented knowing that Bunny would probably be better at this then he would be.

Paws lightly checked the boy over for broken bones or any bleeding while the others watched with rapt attention. After confirming that he was only exhausted from using too much power, Sandy took that as an invitation to speak. Or sign as the case may be.

He formed a snowflake, a Nightmare, his sand, and an angry face.

"You really think so?"

Sandy nodded his head before forming more images above his head.

"Can you fix it?" Tooth asked worriedly as she fluttered between Jack on the bed and the group of Guardians.

Sandy nodded his head with a happy smile on his face. He had been at this for thousands of years while Pitch had only just recently perfected the Nightmare sand technique. He floated over to Jack and dissipated the golden dolphins before letting some of the sand seeped into his closed eyes. They glowed gold before they could see the gold shine move through Jack's veins. It flowed throughout his whole body before disappearing completely.

Jack's eyes shot open and he looked around franticly. He was breathing heavily and tried to get out of the bed. Jack flailed and because he was so wrapped up in the sheets, fell out. North and Bunny flinched. Sandy floated back to the ground and watched as Tooth darted forward only to stop and look back and forth between the others and Jack. While the dilemma was going on Jack gained his bearings and stood up and looked around confused.

"How did I get here? Where did you come from? Where is my staff?" His questions were getting more and more hysterical the longer he had to wait for answers.

"Jack what is last thing you remember?" North questioned as he handed the boy back his staff. Jack hugged it to him like a safety blanket before he answered.

"I was in the forest, looking down at Pitch's lair."

"So you went to Pitch then? Why would you do that mate?"

Jack slumped his shoulders and let his staff hang from his grip. "I just wanted someone who could understand."

"Look, mate, I might not understand what it was like for such a long time, but I do know what it was like. And besides we are your friends. You know we will always be there for you, right?" Bunny seemed uncomfortable talking about his feelings like this but it was something that Jack apparently needed so he would push through it.

Jack looked away and stubbornly ignored the wetness in his eyes. "I-it's just been so long- so long since anyone could see me. I thought it might have been a joke. And after what they said about me…. I thought you'd side with them. After all, I have caused nothing but trouble."

"Jack the good thing about friends is that they can put up with both good and bad. Like Bunny said we are family now and we will always try and help you with whatever you need."

"Even after everything I've done? After everything I probably will do?"

"We might get angry, we might say hurtful things. We need you to open up a little though Jack. We understand that you need time to yourself. We all do. It's just, you can never get better if you spend all your time secluded away, but that will never mean we don't still love you Jack," Tooth said as she flew over to him. Jack tensed until he felt warm arms wrap around him. A hug. He was being hugged. The last touch he received was from Jamie after his first defeat of Pitch. Jack hesitantly returned the hug and Bunny, North and Sandy moved in closer. Sandy gave him a double thumbs up and North laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll try. For you guys I'll try to be better."


End file.
